[niecy]

Hilly, I am sorry that I got so defensive yesterday about the south. It is a touchy subject here about all that went on. It went on before my birth actually, but not all of the "fall-out" of course.

Just a little history on my own family.....my dad's family were share croppers, and while they were alive, they were very very poor. My grandmother, his mom, died at 42, when he was only 2 years old. His dad died when he was 15, so I never met either of them, but I know what happened after my grandmothers death, and it wasn't a fairy tale story.

There may have been some wealthy folks in the south, and I am not as far south as New Orleans, but have been there, and yes, it is a beautiful place!! But most of the people in the south have been poor, for most of their lives, especially during that era of history.

My grandparents on my mothers side owned their own land, but they were farmers also. While my mom was growing up they were, guess what?? cotton farmers!! That's also what my dad's folks did as share-croppers. They were all desperately poor. My mothers mom made their clothes from flour sacks...no joke, and they got one new pair of shoes each winter....in the summer they mostly went barefoot.

I can't remember it, but my husband can, and I know a member or two here on the forum that can, when there was no electricity....more importantly, no indoor plumbing!! It has been very cold lately, I simply cannot imagine having to go outside to go to the bathroom.....or to have to take a bath in a tub of cold water that 5 or 6 already had.....

I know things haven't always been done right in the south, or anywhere else for that matter.....but this is my home, and there are many great people here. It's only the people that would even make you want to stay where I live....family. Believe it or not things turned around over the years, after segregation..... Now, you may say, that's ok....and it is cause we dealt with it, and I have a couple of friends that are black that would fight a grizzly over me, and I would them also. But you have to remember......there is no one living today that can be blamed for anything that happened in the past.

I personally didn't vote for Obama, but it's not because he's half black, it's because I am not a democrat. I didn't vote for him...........but I do pray for him!!! And I do have hope that he will turn America around, and I actually know that he is a very intelligent man, and WANT with all my heart for him to be able to accomplish his goals.

He is OUR president, not some peoples....he said it at his acceptance speech, for those of us that didn't vote for him...."I am your president too", and that he is!!! He has my support and prayers!! I envy you your travels Hilly. And I am sorry to have been a little testy yesterday, and maybe you can forgive me.....

I buy every magazine and Newspaper that comes out with President Obama's picture on front....as I realize what a truly historical event this has all been!! One day when I am not around any longer.....my kids and grand-kids, and possibly great grand-kids will be able to go through my things and be very proud that I have kept up with things about this particular era in history. It is for them......that I live.

Niecy xxxxxx